The state’s top Republicans could head off another GOP challenger for gubernatorial hopeful Scott McInnis if the set can agree on a conservative platform now being drafted.

Former Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Littleton, who said days ago that he would certainly run for the GOP nomination, has softened his tone in light of the multi-point, fiscally focused Republican agenda that is nearly completed.

He said he’s waiting to see how the plan is received before making his decision. He declined to discuss further details.

“I cannot say that I will get out and support Scott,” Tancredo said. But he’s considering doing just that if “we can get to that stage where this is an agreement, not just McInnis, I’m looking for the Republican Party itself to participate in this. They have to also put their stamp on it.”

A series of planning meetings have included Tancredo, McInnis, former gubernatorial candidate and state Sen. Josh Penry, GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams and other Republican leaders in the legislature.

KOA radio host Mike Rosen outlined the collaborative agenda in a column in today’s Denver Post.

It includes fiscal commitments like limiting taxes and state spending, reversing new property taxes and auto registration fees, establishing a state savings account for economic downturns and a commitment to developing both renewable energy and oil and gas industries.

While largely silent on social issues, the plan includes requiring employers to participate in the federal program that checks the immigration status of workers and putting back into effect a ban on state funding to pro-abortion rights groups like Planned Parenthood.

A spokesman for McInnis, who is attending the Republican Governor’s Association meeting in Texas, said the aim is to unify as much of the Republican Party as possible with an agenda that is palatable to unaffiliated voters as well.

A side effect could be the exit of Tancredo from the field, Sean Duffy said.

“Our hope is to unify the party under a statement of principles that all candidates will want to run on, folks running for state House and state Senate as well,” Duffy said. “We think that, by doing that, folks who may have thought they had a particular niche to run on will say ‘Hey, we’ll be okay.'”

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